Alexander Payne — the director behind Sideways, The Descendants, Election, Nebraska, and About Schmidt — has a new film out in theaters: The Holdovers. The title refers to a group of boarding school students stuck on campus for the holidays, along with their begrudging chaperone, a hard-nosed history teacher, played by Paul Giamatti. Hilarious and heartfelt shenanigans ensue. Comedian Da’vine Joy Randolph and new discovery Dominic Sessa accompany Giamatti in a trio of smart, funny, and authentic performances. As the runner-up for the audience award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), this Christmas comedy drama already has a lot of Oscar buzz.
On this episode of The Long Take Review, Greg, P.T., and I discuss how broad the appeal for this film might be, what we think Payne might be saying about elitism in education, our favorite comedic moments, and small ball vs. big ball bowling.
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Movie News Check-In: The Studios present SAG-AFTRA with a “final” offer. The WGA pushes back their awards ceremony. Greg accidentally attends a cast and crew premiere of The Holdovers. 3:49
The Short Take: Our general impressions of The Holdovers. (Spoiler-free.) 13:04
The Recommendation Algorithm: Who should see The Holdovers? To what extent is this a “Christmas movie” vs. an awards movie? Plus, we name a slew of films that, if you like them, may indicate that this movie is for you. (Spoiler-free.) 29:59
SPOILER MODE Does The Holdovers really have any spoilers or big reveals, and what does that say about the kind of movie it is? 46:21
The Rhetorical Situation: What does this film have to say about education, race, class, and The Vietnam War? About ethos or character? And what connections can we draw to our own experiences in higher education? 1:31:31
Oscars Watch: Could all three performances garner Oscar nominations? Does this film have a path to Best Picture? 1:56:49
Image Credit: LA Times
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The Holdovers Review